It all begins when Madea (Tyler Perry)
catches three children breaking into her home. After talking with Jennifer
(Hope Olaide Wilson), Manny (Kwesi Boakye) and Byron (Frederick Siglar) and
learning their story, Madea can’t help but feel sorry for the children.
Apparently, their mother was dead and they lived with their grandmother. A few
days ago, their grandmother left for work and never returned. Understanding the
children’s plight, but put off by Jennifer’s untrusting and seemingly
disrespectful attitude, Madea takes them to their closest relative, nightclub singer
April (Taraji P. Henson).

Unfortunately, April doesn’t have time for
her dead, drug-addicted
sister’s children. She works late nights, has a bit of
a drinking problem
and a boyfriend (Brian White) who is married with children
that helps pay the bills. Just around the same time, the local pastor
(Marvin L. Winans) asks April to allow an
immigrant
from Columbia
to live in her home in
exchange for performing odd jobs around the house. April is hesitant to allow
Sandino (Adam Rodriguez) to stay in her home, but it is in serious need of
repair and the repairs
would be free, so she offers him the basement
to live in.

Sandino quickly gets along with the
children and helps take care of them when April isn’t home. But April’s
boyfriend is not at all happy with the situation and when April discovers that
her mother has died and the children truly have no place else to go, things head
on a collision course with disaster.

Originally based on Tyler Perry’s play of
the same name, Perry decided to do things a little differently with the movie
version of I Can Do Bad All By Myself. Bringing in Gladys Knight
and
Mary J. Blige, Perry made this film a dramedy
filled with music. The songs in
the film, performed by Knight, Blije, Henson and Winans, help tell the story of
the movie. They relate the character’s strife, sense of despair and pain and a
sense of hope. The songs defined the character of April and the struggles she
undergoes to become the woman she is meant to be.

The storyline of the film is pure Tyler
Perry, featuring what appears to be a fairly weak woman with less than moral values
turn into the woman everyone around her sees hiding inside: a strong,
caring woman with strong moral values and a desire to help those in need. The
problem with April is that she can’t see these characteristics in herself.
Having been hurt in her past, April constantly pushes away anyone willing to get
close. Fortunately, Perry surrounds April with people willing to help her,
enough so she can prevent her own niece from following in her footsteps.

As always, Madea is there to offer up the
comedic moments in the heavy drama of the film. One of my favorite scenes in
the film is when Madea tries to teach Jennifer how to pray
and ends up relating
the story of Peter, one of Jesus’
twelve “disciplines.” As Marvin L. Winans
states in the DVD version’s extras, Madea needs to brush up on her bible
knowledge, but it makes for a hilarious moment in the film.

The DVD version of the film comes complete
with three featurettes – A Soulful Ensemble, Tyler Perry’s Block Party
and The Power of Music – that explain the casting, creation of the sets,
music and more. I know, you’re wondering about deleted scenes and such, but
those are not needed as extras – you can see dozens of hilarious outtakes during
the end credits scroll.

I’ve seen quite a few
Tyler Perry films by now, but I can honestly say that I Can Do Bad All By
Myself has become my favorite. With a gripping story, powerful acting,
music that enhances the drama of the story and the comedy of Madea that offers
up a break from all of the drama, I Can Do Bad All By Myself is a
well-rounded film that will convince viewers of Tyler Perry’s skill in bringing
a story to life. If anyone was to ask me where they should start with Perry’s
films, this would be the one I would suggest. While others have come before it,
I Can Do Bad All By Myself showcases Tyler Perry’s storytelling talent
and vision.